Virginie Phulpin 7:25 a.m., February 10, 2022
Every day, the morning of Europe 1 returns to one of the sporting events which makes the news.
This Thursday, Virginie Phulpin returns to the animal abuse scandal involving football player Kurt Zouma.
According to her, subjecting him to the whistle of his public is perhaps worse than depriving him of ground.
Kurt Zouma could pay dearly for his acts of cruelty towards his cat. The defender has already been sanctioned by his English club West Ham. Now, what is his future in the France team? He excluded himself.
In terms of setting an example, there is a big difference between clubs and national teams.
In selection, a player represents his country, by definition.
And there are things that cannot be tolerated to represent France.
While in club, it is up to West Ham in this case to choose the appropriate sanction.
It is not a question of purely and simply prohibiting Kurt Zouma from touching a soccer ball.
Tuesday evening, in the midst of a storm, the coach chose to establish his defender.
It might seem surprising, but in the end he was much more punished by this decision than anything else, since he was profusely hissed and booed by his own supporters.
It can make him understand certain things.
But what will make him realize what he has done even more is to touch it in the wallet.
The base.
West Ham fined him 300,000 euros, paid to an animal protection organization.
For him, it's only 15 days' salary, but it's still a heavy fine.
Especially when sponsors like Adidas run away because they don't want their image to be associated with Kurt Zouma's.
The future of the player at West Ham is the choice of the leaders, we must put in the balance what Zouma brings to the field and on the other side the image of the club that he conveys.
For the France team, it can't be as simple as that.
The future of the player at West Ham is the choice of the leaders, we must put in the balance what Zouma brings to the field and on the other side the image of the club that he conveys.
For the France team, it can't be as simple as that.
The future of the player at West Ham is the choice of the leaders, we must put in the balance what Zouma brings to the field and on the other side the image of the club that he conveys.
For the France team, it can't be as simple as that.
Didier Deschamps, the coach, was harsh on the player last night
In France, if you want a strong voice in football, it is better not to address Noël Le Graët.
The president of the federation simply said that Kurt Zouma's actions were "gratuitous, stupid and mean" and that he was surprised coming from such a respectful boy.
Luckily the coach is getting a bit more wet… Him, he says it's intolerable and unspeakably cruel.
And on the future of Zouma in blue, I let you listen
Of course, we are all thinking the same thing.
All these years during which Didier Deschamps dismissed Karim Benzema.
Frankly, if it is possible to do without one of the best strikers in the world for so long, it should be feasible not to call on a defender who has 11 small caps in blue.
It's as if the ax had already fallen for the next matches of the France team in March.
And Kurt Zouma can only blame himself.
Being in selection, it gives homework.
And in particular duties of exemplarity.
We can't procrastinate with that.
This is among other things what differentiates a national team from a club.